


Frost Nips

by Sorshania



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/F, Female Friendship, Gen, Survival Situation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 17:57:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6249784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorshania/pseuds/Sorshania
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morrigan and Leliana never truly got along. Throughout the Warden's journey, these two highly intelligent women had no choice but to set aside their differences in order to work together, while never becoming friends. However, a random avalanche in the Frost Back mountains separates them from the rest of the group and they have no choice but to rely on one another in order to survive.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frost Nips

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kayurafii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayurafii/gifts).



_9:30 Dragon – Frostback Mountains_

They trekked slowly along the path heading back to Haven. The Warden opened the way, sometimes using that huge sword of her to help clear a path. Khan, her mabari, scouted ahead in case of lingering enemies. Morrigan doubted there was any enemy left, especially after the spectacular way they took care of the Cult's dragon, but an extra precaution never hurt. Not in the Frostback Mountains. Despite the fact they had taken care of most of the Andraste's cultists on the way up, some might still be lurking. Not to mention drakes and the likes.

The witch shivered slightly and leaned a little against her staff. She started to feel the combined effects of cold and exhaustion, and the lingering taste of the lyrium potion now that the adrenaline had washed off. She glanced at the woman behind her.

Leliana was keeping to herself for once. No commentary of what they saw in the ruined temple, no tall tales of the Maker and His Prophet. Morrigan wondered if she was still ruminating about what the ghost at the Temple said. She was quite amused by the Guardian’s almost casual dismissal of Leliana’s claim. Served the woman right! Who exactly claim to have been touched by some mythological absentee father-figure, and not have his or her sanity questioned? It only proved what she always believed about priests and their beliefs. Hypocrites! All of them.

“Do you have something on your mind, Morrigan? Something you want to tell me perhaps?” Leliana said. Morrigan chuckled softly; it would appear her amusement had not gone unnoticed. She stopped and turned around, facing the archer. Like all of them, Leliana’s face had a grey tint, caused by the exhaustion, and a trail of dried blood ran down from her forehead from where the whiplash of the dragon’s tail had caught her, knocking her against one of the tall pillars surrounding the plateau where they met ‘Andraste’.

“Oh, it’s nothing really. I was merely recalling of what that spirit told you. Twas most intriguing, don’t you think? After all, why would a dead follower of Andraste doubt your claim? Surely your Maker had given visions to other people aside his alleged prophet.”

Leliana merely sniffed and kept on walking. Morrigan followed her, using her staff to plow through the snow. She was about to continue when a loud rumble interrupted her. She tensed immediately, readying her weapon, while Leliana took a few steps back so Morrigan stood between her and the warrior in the front. The mabari and its master were too far ahead for them to quickly reach the women but, if they were lucky, they might be able to squeeze their enemies between the two groups.

“AVALANCHE!” she heard the Warden roar suddenly before they were cut out by a river of snow. Morrigan had only a second to blink before she felt someone grabbing the back of her tunic to throw her out of harm way. She stretched out her arms, as a reflex, to break the momentum. She then tried to stand up but something heavy landed on her back, pushing her back down. She heard a distinctive crack. Just as her vision darkened, Morrigan dimly hoped her staff was still in one piece before she lost consciousness.

Morrigan slowly regained consciousness after what felt like ages. Grunting, she rolled over to sit up and figure out where she was. She tried to at least but someone had fashioned a makeshift splint around her right wrist and forearm using strips of hardened leather and the broken pieces of her staff no less, and had tied to her opposite shoulder. “Ah. You are awake. Here, let me help you.” Leliana said, coming into view, and put her hand on her good shoulder.

Morrigan simply nodded, even though it pained her to have to accept the help of someone, but she didn’t have much choice. Thankfully, Leliana seemed to catch up on it and remained silent as she slung the witch’s good arm across her shoulders and wrapped a arm around her waist,  helping her sit properly. “What exactly happened?” Morrigan asked instead, busying herself in checking her injury and wriggling her fingers to assess the extent of the damage.

“We were caught in avalanche. Maybe it was caused by the death of the high dragon.” Leliana said.

“That or maybe whoever was left of the cultists decided to fulfill their mission of keeping this place hidden.”

Leliana simply nodded. “It is possible. Fanatics can be driven by strange motivations that make no sense to the rest of the world.” She glanced at the other woman, as if she expected the witch to challenge her beliefs.

“Where are we, anyway?” Morrigan asked instead, after a moment, looking around.

“In a cave. Thank the Maker, the avalanche had revealed its entrance. I believe the cultists used it as some kind of storage as I found some barrels in the back. It may also have served as a refuge against the weather.”

“A wise choice, considering the environment.” Morrigan noted wryly, looking down at her broken wrist and its cast.

“I’m sorry about your staff. When I pulled you out of the snow, it was under you, broken. I thought of leaving it there but you were clutching one of the parts so hard, I guessed it was important to you. I am sorry I had to break one half to make the splint. I put the other one beside you.”

“I… thank you.” Morrigan said, clearly surprised. The staff has been the first she carved when her mother had deemed her ready for her magical training. Throughout the years, she had kept it close, continuously working on it to improve as she mastered more spells. It was one of the few things from her childhood she had kept. Fitting that was now used to support her broken bones. Maybe she’ll be able to fix it once they reach back the campsite. Speaking of which…

“What about the others? Did they make it? Where are they?”

“Yes, they are fine. I saw them but they were on the other side of the snow slide and unable to reach us. I think they went back to camp to get help.”

“You… think?”

“The wind was blowing in the other direction. I couldn’t hear what she was shouting about but she did gestures widely toward the foot of the mountain. Then I had to hurry to find a shelter because it started to snow. I was starting to despair and I had resigned myself to bury ourselves in the snow to wait for the blizzard to pass. This is when I found the cave’s entrance.”

“If you say the Maker helped you, I swear I will trample you.” Morrigan warned Leliana. Her voice lacked its usual bark however. She had a violent headache pounding against her temples while her wrist was also pulsing like a pride demon caught in a trap. Meanwhile, the archer busied herself in laying out everything useful she pulled out of the barrels between them. She had grown used to Morrigan’s threats and they did not bother as much as before. “Your wrist needs ice to be put on it to reduce the inflammation.” Leliana said after a moment. “I’ll go and get some.”

“There is no need for that.” Morrigan said, snapping her fingers. Almost immediately, ice started to form on her left hand and she simply laid it on top of her injured wrist.

“You know you should be resting, right?”

“It is hardly tiring.” Morrigan scoffed. “Besides, if this is the total of goods you found, we’ll be starving in less than two days.”

“Three actually, if we pace ourselves. I was lucky not to lose my pack’s contents. If the others don’t come and get us by that time, I’ll go out to hunt.”

“I’d say it’s a very good plan, assuming they can find us in all that snow.”

“They should be. I tied a string to a tree close to the avalanche and another close to the entrance of the cave. The mabari shouldn’t have any problem picking up our scents.”

“Hm…” Morrigan doubted the mabari could pick up a scent after a fresh snow but she was too tired to argue. She closed her eyes, the ice forming in her hand fizzling out as she slowly drifted in and out of sleep. She jolted back awake and tensed when she felt Leliana sit down behind her. “What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

“Keeping us warm of course.” The red-haired archer said as she wrapped the blanket she dug out her pack around them. The thick leather had prevented the wool to get soaked by the snow, which was a blessing. “I have no mean of starting a fire and you’re in no position to cast, so this is the only solution.”

The witch chewed over the statement for a moment, clearly not happy about it. “Very well.” She conceded at last. “But if I hear one word of this in a ballade, salacious or otherwise, I will find you.”

“Fair enough.” Morrigan wasn’t sure but she thought she’d heard amusement of all things in Leliana’s voice. “Rest now, Morrigan. We’ll see things more clearly in the morning.”

There wasn’t much to do but to obey and so, the witch settled more comfortably against the archer. Soon, Leliana started to hum softly and Morrigan felt asleep between one thought and the next.

*********************************************************

_9:41 Dragon – Winter Palace_

It was done. Leliana watched the bustling crowd of painted nobles gathering around the Inquisitor, each and every one claiming their undying loyalty. The Inquisitor had not taken the route the spymaster expected, as usual, but they had managed to secure serious allies from Orlais. Soon, their forces will be strong enough to launch an assault against Corypheus. It was all that mattered.

“My my… That was quite an interesting development, don’t you think?” The deep voice broke through her line of thoughts. Leliana turned around to see Morrigan emerges from the shadows of one of the archways. Leliana only arched an amused eyebrow at her former companion’s attire. “Velvet?”

Morrigan chuckled softly. “Someone I used to know suggested it a long time ago. Alas, I must admit she was right on that score.” she said, running her hands on the heavy material of her skirts. Both women turned to look as the Inquisitor and the other advisors headed for the grand entrance. “I understand you’ll be joining us at Skyhold.” The red-haired asked.

“Yes. I have been assigned as liaison between Orlais and the Inquisition, as you probably know already.” It was more a statement than a question. Either way, Leliana simply nodded. “I’ll make sure your apartments are ready for your arrival.” she simply said. It was the least she could do for someone she shed blood with.

“I thank you.”

Nothing else was said as they watched the rest of the Inquisition’s party depart. Too many secrets lay between the two women to fully reconnect. Too many changes. Too much deaths. Still, both felt safer somehow, as if they now had the confidence to face whatever or whoever was in front of them, and succeed, now that they were working together once again.


End file.
